One of 268: 1970 Oldsmobile 442 Indy Pace Car Convertible Is at $27,000 on Hagerty MarketplaceOldsmobile didn't just get invited to pace the 1970 Indianapolis 500; it earned the job with a car that finally had the muscle to match its stripes. Now one of the 268 442 Indy Pace Car convertibles built for public sale is up for auction on Hagerty Marketplace, where the bidding has climbed to $27,000 with 18 bids and eight days left on the clock.The car is a 56,400-mile (TMU) example finished in Porcelain White over black, powered by the 455-cubic-inch Rocket V8 and a Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic. It's located in West Hurley, New York, and the auction ends Tuesday, October 13, at 2:10 p.m. EDT.Why 1970 Mattered for the 442For 1970, the 442 stepped out from under the Cutlass umbrella and became its own model, and GM's displacement cap on midsize cars was lifted at the same time. The result was a 455 as standard equipment and a performance reputation that put Oldsmobile at the front of the field at the Brickyard. To mark the occasion, Oldsmobile built 626 replica convertibles for the public, according to the listing: 358 on the Cutlass Supreme platform and just 268 on the 442. All wore Porcelain White paint with black stripes outlined in red, plus the fiberglass W-25 forced-air induction hood.It's the same wave of Hurst-era Oldsmobile excitement we've covered before, from the 1969 Hurst/Olds 442 to the rare 1972 Hurst/Olds Pace Car convertible.Paperwork and ProvenanceThe seller's dealer invoice shows the car was sold new through Victor Belotti, Inc., an Oldsmobile dealer in Somerville, Massachusetts, on May 5, 1970. It lists the Turbo Hydra-Matic, Vari-Ratio power steering, power front disc brakes, a tinted windshield, a deluxe sport steering wheel, an AM radio with a rear speaker, and a sport console, along with the Y74 Indy Pace Car option. Per the seller, the original owner was a World War II prisoner of war and Purple Heart recipient, and the current owner bought the car from that man's son.The invoice, point-of-purchase materials, the owner's manual, and the original spare and jack come with the car. It's offered on a New York registration, since the state doesn't issue titles for vehicles this age. In a Q&A on the listing, the seller said none of the sheet metal or floor has been replaced and that it's all original.What Needs AttentionThis isn't a trailer queen. The listing is upfront about a tear in the convertible top that needs help going up, a tear in the driver's seat, oil leaks, and general wear for its age. In preparation for sale, the seller says the alternator and fuel sending unit were replaced and the carburetor was cleaned. With 94 photos in the gallery, bidders can judge the condition for themselves.What the Market SaysThat current bid sits well below what Hagerty's Valuation Tools show for the model. For a 1970 4-4-2 convertible with the 455/365-hp engine, the Price Guide puts a #3 (Good) car at roughly $68,200, with values up 6.2 percent over the past year and 2.1 percent over three years. Across the 1968-72 442 generation, Hagerty tracked 87 sales in the last 12 months at an average of about $72,700, with the number of cars sold up 16 percent.Recent results show how wide the range can run. Hagerty's data lists 1970 442 convertibles selling for $82,500 at Mecum in January, and a Bring a Trailer car with 86,000 miles hit $108,150. Those are standard 442 convertibles, not Pace Car editions, so a documented Y74 car with an original invoice has a collector hook that regular examples don't. Hagerty's tools also break out the W-30 version, and the sibling 1970 Cutlass Supreme carries its own numbers if you're weighing the other Pace Car convertible. This is a muscle car that still needs a top and some mechanical TLC, so condition will decide where it finishes.If you like your pace cars with an Indy pedigree, we've also looked at this big-block 1967 Camaro Pace Car convertible and a numbers-matching 1971 Oldsmobile 442 convertible chasing bids on Hagerty Marketplace.⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious
